(Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
The Detroit Lions are way more than a football team right now.
They’re a family.
Not so long ago, the Lions were one of the bottom-feeding teams in the league, the laughing stock in their own division, and a franchise that was completely out of sorts.
Fast forward to today, and they’re one of the best teams in the NFC.
And while it takes plenty of work and more than one man to do so, HC Dan Campbell deserves most of the credit for this turnaround.
Campbell’s impact goes way beyond his decision-making on the field or practice; he actually made the players and staff members believe, and he built and developed a winning culture.
That’s so strong and deep, that it actually led OC Ben Johnson to stay in Detroit for at least another season.
According to a report by Brad Galli, Johnson recalled Campbell’s emotional speech in 2021 and decided he wasn’t ready to leave the organization because they still had some unfinished business.
Why did Ben Johnson stay in Detroit?
After the NFC Championship, he sat on the Lions plane, and recalled a 2021 Dan Campbell speech.
— Brad Galli (@BradGalli) June 2, 2024
Johnson is one of the most notorious risers in the NFL coaching landscape, and he was a strong candidate to get a head coaching job this season before he announced his decision to stay in Michigan for a little longer.
That’s the kind of leader Dan Campbell is and why every single guy in that organization will run through a brick wall for him.
Super Bowl trip or not, that’s just special, and hopefully, he’ll be rewarded with a Super Bowl ring sooner rather than later.
The post Ben Johnson Says Dan Campbell’s Speech Inspired Him To Stay In Detroit appeared first on The Cold Wire.